Ten Important Purple Martins and Many Thanks
From Dick Nikolai
As I have said many times when the Purple Martin season is over, how grateful I was to work through it and how peaceful it is to be completed for 2023 and as equally important for the other past years. Even though I treasure this species, their time with us is stressful for we put in so much effort for their success that it zaps the energy in both the physical and mental being of one. There is always something to learn and glean from Purple Martins and the ignorance sometimes disappoints one along the way. It is not that I am stupid but there is a feeling I always do not know enough. When they are in trouble one feels hopeless. Every year has these ups and downs and it does not get any easier if you care for this species or any species along the way. What matters is that we put forth our best effort regardless and work through those hours, days, months and sometimes those seconds to ensure that this species is not lost forever as in the case of billions of passenger pigeons taken for granted only to have the last one die in a zoo.
In Wisconsin we have experienced a great decline of Purple Martins in my lifetime. So, my plea went out this past late winter to early spring to ask for money from many of you to assist in contributing to science in finding more about our Wisconsin Purple Martins. Goal was to acquire ten GPS Geolocators which had in the past cost well over $5000, or more than $500 per transmitter. Because of many people’s contributions we were able to buy these units through the Purple Martin Conservation Association and get these on time for this past 2023 nesting season. People contributing are listed below. They are not listed in any order but I want to make sure all who I know contributed are listed:
Beverly Leonard, Jill Rodriguez, Carol Zimmermann, Sarah McConnell, each contributing $50. They are a great Bird City group in the Lake Geneva area providing educational events for children and adults. Their provision along with others of monitoring for Purple Martins adds to the great treasure for the tourist community. They have often provided memories of their many smiles and dedication to birds in their community including chimney swifts.
Badgerland Bird Alliance formerly the Madison Audubon Society was kind enough to set up an account for Purple Martins through donations I solicited or others who contributed for work on this species. Their donation totaled $666 from several donating individuals. Their members often assist me banding young Purple Martins in Green Lake, Marquette, and Columbia counties. It is a valued exchange of companionship for several days placing bracelets on well over 500 young with 2023 having the first recapture at one of the sites and the first time having four adults being captured.
Winnebago Audubon Society is another group of concerned citizens that contributed $500. A few of them have also contributed in several ways in the past by assisting me in finding a Purple Martin roost site in Winnebago County that seemed like a forever project trying to find.
Nancy & Pete Hutchinson, Brad Frankel, Lia Anna Andre, and Brad Collar, each contributed $100 for transmitters. Each of these individuals have in special ways been in contact with me over time sharing stories and many other things relating to Purple Martins and other birds.
Janet Martell, Carol Parsons, and Joan Urry also provided smaller donations that added greatly to the overall purchase.
Wisconsin Purple Martin Association also contributed monies to assist to make sure their efforts contributed to at least one transmitter when combined with donations directly to them.
Bob Ring, a faithful companion for banding contributed $1545 for the effort. Without his effort and time many Purple Martins would not be carrying bands. Bob provided considerable effort with me to chose candidates for placing transmitters from June 22 to July 10 to accomplish our effort for placement of them. This is not an easy task for these martins need to be faithful parents. They also need to be successful of bringing off their broods through considerable effort through the elements of time along with their environment.
Ben Mueller contributed a portion of his day on July 5 to assist me on placement of one of the transmitters. He is a volunteer for the Appleton Parks monitoring their Purple Martin housing. We worked through the progression of effort and the martin chosen provided additional viewing for him along the way.
My contribution was time and remaining money both for the transmitters and for the color bands fitted on those ten Purple Martins. Hopefully, the results of 2023 efforts will come to fruition in 2024, for these same Purple Martins will need to be survivors of two migrations and everything in between. If you did not realize, they need to be recaptured to remove the information gathered so we can tell their story. Survival is our key but without your effort in 2023 this would not be possible for 2024. Transmitters were placed from June 22, 2023 to July 22, 2023. The many chosen Purple Martins came down to the ten shown below. Make your choice for your adoption if you want or chose to donate in 2024. Many thanks go out to all who have contributed.
Winter 2024
Figure 1 is an ASY-M from compartment G-29 (WI 995) with a Geolocator placed 7-2-23.
Figure 2 is an SY-M from compartment HCN-01 (WI 996) with a Geolocator placed 7-4-23.
Figure 3 is an ASY-M from compartment HCE-01 (WI 997) with a Geolocator placed 7-5-23.
Figure 5 is an ASY-M from compartment SP-11 (WI 999) with a Geolocator placed 7-7-23.
Figure 7 is an ASY-M from compartment B6-22 (WI 501) with a Geolocator placed 7-8-23.
Figure 9 is an SY-M from compartment R6-22 (WI 503) with a Geolocator placed 7-15-23.
Figure 4 is an SY-M from compartment G-25 (WI 998) with a Geolocator placed 7-7-23.
Figure 6 is an ASY-F from compartment WG-03 (WI 500) with a Geolocator placed 7-8-23.
Figure 8 is an SY-M from compartment HCN-02 (WI 502) with a Geolocator placed 7-9-23.
Figure 10 is an SY-M from compartment G-20 (WI 505) with a Geolocator placed 7-22-23.